Assessing the NDY1 Protein as a Potential Treatment for Mast Cell Cancer

Mast cell tumors account for about 20 percent of all skin tumors in dogs. Some are easily removed, yet others can lead to life-threatening disease. Not-Dead-Yet-1 (NDY1/KDM2B) is a protein that affects the way DNA is packaged in the cell nucleus. The research team has shown that NDY1 can promote unlimited growth of normal mast cells. They also determined that when the levels of NDY1 are decreased, cells from mast cell tumors don't grow well. These findings suggest that NDY1 may be a molecular target for treating mast cell tumors in dogs. The goal of this study is to understand how NDY1 affects mast cell tumors and to develop strategies for NDY1-targeted treatment